


Under your spell

by Sometimesalwayssarcastic



Category: 13 Reasons Why (TV)
Genre: Based off that one cliche AU when a spell makes everyone fall in love with Character A, Friends to Lovers, La bruja Skye, M/M, Really long piece of writing, She's also a low key match maker, Skye does magic, and everyone around them start acting interested and all, but Character B acts the same, i had a lot of fun writing this, like wow, love spells, sorry - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-26
Updated: 2017-05-26
Packaged: 2018-11-05 02:13:33
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,273
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11003850
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sometimesalwayssarcastic/pseuds/Sometimesalwayssarcastic
Summary: “No, you’re wrong. I just saw Tony earlier and he was acting like normal, so you must be wrong. Some people aren’t affected.”“Use your head, Clay. There’s a reason why the spell didn’t make Tony fall in love with you…” At the boy’s blank expression, Skye can only sigh and pinch the bridge of her nose, “You can’t make someone fall in love if they’re already in love to begin with, idiot.”





	Under your spell

**Author's Note:**

> This cliche little post took me far longer to write than I expected and I apologize that it's so long but I have a tendency to go on a tangent :')   
> Anyway, I finally finished this and promptly posted it, so I apologize for any errors.

The day itself had started out mundane enough.

He had woken up at his normal, ungodly hour, had showered, and had even made it downstairs in time to feign excitement about yet another family breakfast that his mother had prepared.

From there he had swiftly exited the house, calling a good bye to his mother and oblivious father before grabbing his bike and beginning his trek to school.

Most mornings since the release of the tapes Tony had picked him up and taken him to school, however, this morning he was stalled with a doctor’s appointment, making it so Clay was left to his own devices just like the old days.

The trip had been relaxing, with the wind blowing through his helmet clad hair – because he was now strictly ordered to keep the protective gear on his head at all times, especially since he had blamed the cuts he had earned from his interrogation of Bryce on a particularly bad riding accident- and the calming sense of freedom that he had experienced in months.

On the downside, however, his legs did feel the burn of his recent laziness, though the sensation wasn’t all that bad. If anything it was invigorating – it made him feel _alive_.

It was only once he arrived on school grounds that everything seemed to go to absolute hell.

He had simply been locking up his bike when the first bizarre event occurred – he was addressed by whom he assumed to be a female senior. He hair was long and red and her eyes were a lovely shade of olive green, making her rather notable in most settings.

At first, when he felt the presence of another, he had presumed it to be Skye waiting for him. So, when he instead rose to regard a smiling stranger, Clay couldn’t conceal his surprise.

He’s pretty sure he’s seen her around before – she was a relatively popular girl with the intellect to boot, although she’d never so much as looked in Clay’s direction, let alone went out of her way to stand near him.

“Um… Hello?”

“Hey! Clay Jensen, right?”

“Uh, yeah, that’s me… Is something wrong? Because I-…”

“Oh no, don’t be silly, nothing’s wrong! I just… I, uh…” The faintest hint of a blush colored her cheeks as she appeared to struggle with her words, her gaze avoiding his completely for several moments before she seemed to find her voice again, “I think you’re pretty cute, and, well, here’s my number… Use it sometime, alright?”

Before Clay had the chance to even wrap his head around the situation a small piece of paper was shoved into his empty hand and, just like that, the girl was gone, disappearing into the slowly growing hoard of students entering the school.

What on earth…?

The first thought that came to the boy’s mind was that this was all just an elaborate prank – fooling the nerdy underclassman into believing a popular senior would be into him, he really wouldn’t put that form of humiliation behind most of the shitty kids occupying the high school.

So, a few moments later, when Clay finally finds the ability to pry his attention away from the direction in which the girl disappeared, he mustered up the courage to check out the sheet. A part of him expected to see something about the lines of ‘In your dreams, loser!’ or words equally cruel. He does not, however, know how to react when he instead finds a name- Alicia-  printed in remarkably clean handwriting followed by a number that Clay could tell was real. On the third line was a small smiley face with the text ‘Call me!’ depicted next to it.

That… That was definitely weird…

“Is everything alright, Clay?”

Jumping for what was already the second time in a span of 10 minutes, Clay glanced from the parchment to meet Sheri’s light, questioning gaze. Her pretty face was scrunched in confusion as her gaze flickered from the note to Clay’s face.

“Oh, yeah, I mean, everything’s fine.” He stumbled as he quickly stuffed the paper into the pocket of his jeans and his face took on a light shade of pink. Well, that definitely didn’t look suspicious or anything, “Just picking up some trash – you know, for the environment and all… “

His lie was terrible and he knew it, though the girl appeared to gift him with mercy as she merely nodded her head at his explanation, apparently choosing not to pry any further.

“So, um, anyway, what’s up?”

“I just wanted to spend some time with you, that’s all.” She smiled, that dazzling quirk of her lips that he knew drove a lot of his fellow males crazy, though, for him personally, it was alright. He had seen smiles much more lovely, notably in Hannah and his best friend, Tony… Perhaps he would have given that last comparison a little more thought had Sheri not decided to intertwine their arms at that precise moment, and thus, rendered him speechless. “How have you been lately? It’s been a while since we’ve really spoken…”

This time Clay knew his face had to be nearing a tomato at the contact, his mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water as his mind attempted – and promptly failed – to make sense of everything that was happening around him that morning.

What the hell was up with the girls at his school today?

“I-I’ve been okay… Is there some special reason why you suddenly want to hang out? I mean, not that it’s not okay or anything, it is, but I’m just wondering if there was a particular occurrence that motivated you to speak to me or-…”

His prolonged rambling fell short as the sound of soft laughter escaped the girl and he couldn’t help but feel slightly self-conscious at the sound. Was she laughing with him or at him? Because that day he found more things confusing than funny.

“You’re so adorable, Clay.” She laughs, gray eyes gazing up at the boy with a certain sense of affection that sent a shiver down his spine, “I guess I just woke up this morning and thought about you and what we almost were… I know you loved Hannah, but, I would like to try and be something to you, like she was…”

_What?_

That was it, he really needed to talk to someone – a friend-, or leave, this very instant.

“Right, well I- I actually just remembered that I have a thing to do, so I have to go but I’ll see you later!”

In one fell swoop Clay detaches his limb gently from the other’s and makes a beeline for the school, racing throughout the hallways until he finally deems himself far enough away so that Sheri could not follow him.

He must be dreaming, he thinks as he ducks into the secluded alcove beneath the staircase, though, whether this was a good dream or a nightmare he really wasn’t sure.

He means, he likes girls and doesn’t particularly mind gaining their attention, especially from two rather attractive ones at the school, but on the same day so close together? He certainly doesn’t harvest a narcissistic enough nature to believe his personality suddenly managed to become irresistible to girls, but the idea that this all was just some mean prank no longer seemed plausible.

After all, the first girl, Alicia, may have been joking with him, but Sheri? Her disposition was too sweet to purposely aim to humiliate him by pranking him. Besides, he knew that she had an inkling of a crush on him before, but she was never that bold; never that _insistent_.

Absolutely nothing going on that morning is making sense to Clay, and his first instinct is to call Tony – to ask him about how he perceives this situation. Maybe he knew something that the other didn’t?

However, the moment his shaking fingers – _since when had they started shaking?_ \- manage to pry the device from his pocket and click it on, Clay feels his stomach lurch, eyes wide as they acknowledge the numerous texts aligning his normally barren screen.

There has to be at least ten of them, some mere numbers and others identified by his contact list as being acquaintances at school. Alex, Jessica, Sheri, but no Tony.

Before Clay has a chance to feel disheartened by that find his attention flickers to the nature of the other texts and he very nearly drops his phone all together.

They all differ in topic depending on the person, but, essentially, they all inquire one thing – if Clay is free to hang out, or, in cases, ‘go out on a date’ anytime soon.

He can’t help but think how screwed up this whole thing is, considering even Alex seemed to be messaging him with the intent of hanging out, though, for once, he wasn’t oblivious enough to miss the silent connotations behind not only his words but the others as well.

_Did half the school just ask him out over text?_

Truthfully, he’s not sure if he really wants to know.

Wordlessly he sheathes his phone back into his pocket and leans to slump against the wall, his eyes fluttering shut as he heaves a deep, exasperated sigh.

Any minute now he’ll wake up in the warm comfort of his bed and he’ll find out that this whole thing was just a bizarre, sugar induced dream.

_Maybe he and Tony shouldn’t have gotten those late night milkshakes after all…._

It’s only when the first bell rings, signifying that first period would begin in ten minutes, that Clay finally works up the courage to flee from his hiding spot and make a beeline for his classroom. As he moves throughout the familiar halls his vision remains trained the on the floor, not wanting to meet the gazes he can already feel burning into his back as he walks past.

When he finally steps foot into his class Clay feels the desire to cry with joy. He’d be safe here, he knows, as this particular teacher was strict to the point of inciting enough fear in his students to see to it that no one spoke out of term.

He’s slumped in his seat by the time the second bell rings and, while he can still sense the lingering gazes of his strange classmates, he’s correct with his original assumption. No one comes up to speak to him nor do they attempt any other method of communication. The teacher has them complacent and Clay silently thanks him for that.

By the time the class is over, however, his peace is blown and he finds a note slipped into his desk by a passing male classmate before he slips from the room.

He takes that as his signal to leave and, pausing only to snatch the paper and shove it unread into his pocket, Clay’s off again. Once more his vision is oriented downward, fingers digging uncomfortably into the straps of his bag as he attempts to distract himself from his current situation.

It’s only when he sees Tony waiting by his locker that the boy feels relief course through him, that is, until he recalls the strange way everyone seems to be acting. Could it be that Tony would also be affected by whatever it was that was making people so abnormally interested with him that day?

“Hey, Clay.” Tony greets the moment the taller of the two makes it to his locker, brown eyes regarding his passively as he glances up from his phone, “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

A moment of silence passes between the two as Clay takes to studying his friend, whom had returned to typing something out after he voiced his observation.

“Hey…” He ventures slowly, his attention remaining on his friend only until his fingers still and the message he was writing is sent. By the time Tony shuts his device off and looks back up at the taller boy he’s already fiddling with his locker, pretending to have been messing with it the entire time, “…How’d your appointment go?”

“Pretty good. The usual shit.”

Clay nods at that and moves his head back as he finally manages to pry his locker open.

“Cool…”

Another look is spared at his shorter friend and, when he glances back with the same, dark eyes as usual, Clay knows that he can relax. The disease plaguing the school that day had, thankfully, avoided Tony.

“You know; I was serious about you looking spooked. Is something up?”

“Yeah, kind of…” His response lacks specifics and he knows the other wants to press him to explain further, but still he hesitates, focusing on shifting his books around from his locker to his backpack, “It’s just… Do people seem to be acting weird to you today?”

A dark brow is raised in response, and Tony takes a second to scope out their surroundings,

“Weird how, Clay?”

“Just… I think people are staring at me more than usual? And, well… Look.”

Shoving one last book into his bag, the locker is shut but Clay remains where he is as he digs the two notes from his pants pocket and hands them over to Tony.

“I also got texts like this and I think Sheri tried asking me out earlier?” He pauses to allow the other a moment to reflect on his proposed evidence before continuing, “And I have no freaking idea why.”

There’s a pregnant pause between them and Clay can tell that Tony is just as puzzled as he is, which was actually a little reassuring. It meant that, whatever it was that provoked this, wasn’t blatantly obvious.

“Wow…” Is all the shorter boy can make out at first, his eyes roaming from Clay to his phone, “That’s… That’s… _Wow_.”

_“I know.”_ He heaves a sigh as he pockets his phone again and rakes a hand across his face. It’s been almost 6 months since the tapes and things were finally returning to normal, or, at least, he had hoped they were. Now, however, he wasn’t nearly as sure about that. “This seems like some kind of shitty prank, but I haven’t seen anyone laughing yet so I really have no idea.”

“When did this all start?”

“Um, this morning, I think? When I got here this girl came up to me and gave me her number… Then Sheri talked to me, I checked my phone and saw all the texts, and the second note was given to me by some dude in my first period, and I-…”

“Wait, a guy gave you this one?”

At Tony’s interruption Clay glanced at the aforementioned note for the first time. It was not vastly different from the one Alicia had given him, as it contained his name – Sam - and number with the addition of a little sentence requesting Clay called him.

So that guy’s name was Sam, huh? He could see why Tony would assume it originally belonged to a girl.

“Yeah, I guess….” He shrugs, unsure as to what the issue is, “I mean, it’s cool and all, but I don’t get where the sudden attention came from…”

“That’s new…” Tony murmurs and Clay understands he’s referring to his own nonchalance with being hit on by a boy, though it’s a topic both know can wait until a later date, “What are you planning on doing?”

“With what, the notes and the texts?”

Tony nodded.

“Well, nothing really. I mean, I don’t really know most of these people and this whole thing is actually pretty creepy…”

When Tony goes to open his mouth next the bell cuts him off, alerting both kids that they had lollygagged for too long.

“Tell me if anything else unusual happens.” Tony requests before the notes are returned to the taller boy, “I’ll see what I can find out in class.”

“That would be great, thanks Tony.”  
“Will you be okay?”

“Yeah… Yeah, I will… Kinda got used to having everyone stare at me during the tapes and all, so I think I’ll be fine.”  
“Good. I’ll see you later then, Clay.”

With one last apprehensive look, both boys moved in their opposite directions, silently counting down the moments until lunch arrived and they could discuss this whole, bizarre day more in depth.

The halls are all but deserted as he makes his way to his second period, and the rest of the morning goes without any real hitch. The number of notes and texts he received continued to grow steadily throughout the day and Clay struggled with avoiding more casual conversations with others than normal, but nothing particularly astonishing happens.

Then fourth period rolls around.

There’s only ten minutes until the bell rings indicating their lunch period and Clay feels antsy in his seat, foot tapping a sporadic rhythm as he silently willed the hands on the clock to tick by faster.

Today had been a more relaxed day in his psychology class, making it so the students had a good little while of silent time following the lecture for homework or idle chatter depending on their personality. Normally Clay was among the handful of students utilizing the period to diligently study, and he truly was trying, but his mind would constantly drift to his classmates and the eyes he could still feel glaze over his person every few minutes.

He had never realized how much he had enjoyed feeling invisible in the past.

“Hey, Clay.”

The sudden voice jolts him from his thoughts and startled blue eyes flicker from the antagonizingly slow clock to instead focus on Zach, whom appeared to have taken the seat beside his own while he was zoned out.

What on earth could Zach want?

“Uh, hey, Zach…” Clay greets slowly, making no attempt to mask the puzzlement he felt at the other’s presence, “What’s up?”

Ever since the release of the tapes to the public and the Hannah Baker Trial Clay pretty much ceased all conversation with a few of the eleven others on the tape. They had never really been friends to begin with, and, considering the level of animosity that grew between them all at the expense of the tapes, none were all that motivated to maintain friendships with the others after their sins were brought to light in court. In fact, he muses that this is the first time he’d spoken to the jock in months.

“Just in psychology... But you know that already…” Zach laughs slightly and, for a moment, Clay wonders if that is really nervousness lacing his tone. What on earth could the basketball star be worried about in regards to speaking to the shorter boy? It wasn’t as though he still held the leverage of outing the tapes over the others, so he was just back to being the nerdy, weak kid that he always was, “I was, um, just wondering if you’d want to hang out some time? I hear there’s a new Super Hero movie coming out or something and it sounds pretty awesome… Would you want to go together sometime?”

It’s at this point in his weird ass day that Clay decides he has had about enough with whatever shitty game the school seems to be playing with him and he’s going to stop it once and for all.

“Like as a date?” He inquires with a snicker, his mouth slack and brows raised as he leaned onto his elbows on the table, “Look Zach, I don’t know what game you and everyone else in this shitty school are playing, but I’m tired of it, okay? I get it, you win, you all fooled me into thinking you care. Whatever, I’ll admit that; just give it up.”

Near the end of his tirade he spares a discrete glance throughout the room, looking for any sign of another listening in to their conversation. When he doesn’t find anyone he focuses back on Zach and is silently surprised to find the boy’s expression twisted in bewilderment.

“What? No, it’s nothing like that. I mean, this isn’t a game? I meant what I said, I promise…”  
He gulps and runs a hand through black hair as he looks down uneasily, “I learned my lesson with Hannah, I swear. I don’t… I’ll never make those same mistakes again, not when it comes to dating, or being turned down, or anything…”

With that being said Zach rises from his chair just as the lunch bell rings, dark eyes glancing at Clay for a moment before he turns towards the door,

“I completely understand if you don’t want to, but… But… Just think about it, okay?”

Before he has the chance to offer a response of any form Zach’s out the door with the rest of the class and Clay wonders just what the hell kind of alternate dimension he somehow stumbled into.

                                                                     -xxx-

 

“At this point you might as well just get ‘Existential crisis’ tattooed on your forehead.”

He knows the owner of the voice without even bothering to look up from his spot on the outdoor bleachers. It was currently their lunchtime and, while he would usually always sit together with Tony and Skye at their usual table, he decided that he couldn’t deal with the cafeteria that day. Not when everyone insisted on acting so damn nice and friendly with him.

He had texted Tony his new whereabouts and was expecting his presence soon, however Skye was a different matter. He didn’t know where she stood on this whole messed up mindset.

“Very funny, Skye.” He sneers, blue eyes rolling in exasperation as the girl moved to sit down by his feet. She appears to be lacking her lunch and Clay wonders briefly why she’d come out all this way without her food, “What? Not going to ask me out or act uncomfortably close to me?”

After all, everyone else had been that day, so why the hell shouldn’t she join the fucked up mix?

A painted eyebrow lifts at the sarcastic question and an irritating simper lights up dark lips.

She found something unreasonable funny, he realizes with suspicion, and he’s not certain he wants to know what that something is.

“Pretty full of yourself now, aren’t you, hot shot?” She teases, arms crossing across her chest, “So, I take it you’re enjoying your day of school wide affection?”

Clay immediately pauses at the latter question; the sandwich part he had raised to his mouth hesitating inches from his lips as he directs his gaze firmly at his friend.

“Wait, how do you know about that?”

“What, you’re curious as to how I know that you’ve been hit on all day? Maybe even received some confessions of love?”

The mirth drenching her tone was enough to reaffirm Clay’s hunch that the girl was up to trouble, and he cursed whatever gods there truly were that he had somehow been caught in the crossfire.

“Skye…”

The simple name is uttered in warning and she merely shrugs, evidently not threatened by him in the slightest.

“Do you still think my abilities are fake now? You know, I actually did you a favor by choosing this over, say, a spell that made everyone hate you? Or I could have turned you into a frog, that was a fun idea.”

“Wait a minute, are you telling me that this is the result of some spell?”

The last word is uttered skeptically and Clay’s expression scrunches up in disbelief. He is a man of science and proof, so he isn’t prone to believing the ‘mystical bullshit’, as Tony called it, that Skye claimed to be capable of.

But, looking back at the crazy events that had been occurring today, he is momentarily hesitant about outright dismissing Skye’s explanation.

“You bet it is. Remember yesterday when you and Tony were making fun of my cards? Well, now I showed you what I can do.”

“What you did? And what the hell is that exactly?”

“I put a love spell on you. Think of it this way – this spell is makes you the cat nip and every other student in the school a cat intoxicated by the scent. They don’t know why or how, but every student at Liberty high is now in love with Clay Jensen. Oh, but don’t worry, it’s only for the day.”

“Are you serious?” His voice raises an octave in annoyance as he fixes his friend with an incredulous stare, “You’re really telling me that you put a fucking love spell on me just because we were teasing you about your cards? _We were joking_!”

“Geez Clay, calm down, it’s a temporary love spell, not the end of the world. Besides, that’s not my only reason for doing it.”

“Oh yeah, then what’s the other reason?”

“You’re going to have to find that out on your own.”

With that comment Skye rose, her head tilting to the side in amusement as she grinned at the exasperated looking boy, “Good luck with the rest of the day, lover boy. I think you’ll need it.”  
She’s already nearly off the bleachers before Clay manages to work up the ability to speak again, a sudden inquiry popping up in his mind that he absolutely needs answered before the other can leave.

“Hold on, Skye, tell me again. Who’s affected by this supposed spell?”

“Everyone at our school will be affected, Clay, with the exclusion of you and me.”

He shakes his head at that, fingers beginning to beat a tuneless routine on his thigh as he figures out how to phrase his next statement,

“No, you’re wrong. I just saw Tony earlier and he was acting like normal, so you must be wrong. Some people aren’t affected.”

If Skye’s at all surprised by this realization she doesn’t show it. Instead she appears even more enamored with the whole situation, her smile growing still.

“Use your head, Clay. There’s a reason why the spell didn’t make Tony fall in love with you…” At the boy’s blank expression, Skye can only sigh and pinch the bridge of her nose, “You can’t make someone fall in love if they’re already in love to begin with, idiot.”

“What are you talking-…”

“Figure it out yourself, Clay, and enjoy your day! I’ll see you tomorrow- hopefully.”

This time, when Skye turns to leave, she follows through and is out of sight within minutes, though Clay doesn’t notice nor care.

He’s too focused on the haunting words she exited with that remain heavy in the air around him, his mind attempting and failing to comprehend the meaning behind what Skye said.

The spell she supposedly put on him made every student at Liberty fall in love with him aside from the individual who cast the spell so, in theory, that would imply that Tony would also be attempting to court him, just like the others… Yet, he wasn’t. He was the same, helpful, supportive friend that he had always been. Nothing had changed.

_“You can’t make someone fall in love if they’re already in love to begin with, idiot.”_

The line resounds like a broken record in his mind and Clay throws his food out. He’s lost his appetite.

Tony wasn’t affected by the spell because he was already in love with Clay…? He continued on like normal without the strange addition of affection because it was an emotion he always felt towards him…?

That statement made a little too much sense for his own preference.

There was only one way to find out if his suspicions were correct and it wasn’t like he could go back into the school now that he knew what was really going on. All the stares and messages influenced his anxiety to rear his ugly head and there’s no way he can make it to the rest of his classes.

So, he spares the looming establishment that was his school one last look before sending Tony a quick text and moving towards where Tony always parked his car.

There’s only one way to find out the authenticity behind Skye’s hints and, no matter how ill the thought made his stomach feel, he needed to know if Tony really, truly, had feelings for him.

                                                                                -xxx-

It’s ten minutes later and far too long baking in the nearly summer sun before a familiar head of raven hair slips through the front of the school and makes its way towards the bright red car.

His usual leather jacket is still situated nicely on his broad frame despite the heat, though Clay really can’t say much pertaining to its practicality, as he still insisted on cladding himself in his hoodies too. He supposes that some habits die hard.

“Hey Clay,” Tony smiles, the typical greeting leaving his lips almost subconsciously as the boy digs into his coat pocket and, upon removing his keys, unlocks the car, “I got your text, is something up? Skipping class isn’t like you.”

“Really, Tony? It isn’t like me?”  
At the sidelong look Clay directs towards him the shorter boy can’t help but chuckle as he settles into the driver’s seat,

“I mean; it’s been a while since you’ve asked me to meet you outside during school hours.”

This time it’s the taller boy’s turn to crack a smile, his head shaking as he shuts his door and clicks his seatbelt shut. Tony’s right, but that’s not any real surprise.

Ever since the aftermath of the tapes Clay had been trying to slip back into his old school routine. Somehow he had maintained his position on the honor board despite his antics throughout the few weeks he had been listening to the tapes and had since seen to it that he didn’t skip classes anymore.

Hannah had gone into that school year with the idea of creating a new, responsible side of her and he knew that she would want the same of him now.

“Whatever.” Is all Clay can think to say as his friend backs out of the parking lot and they’re making their way off of school grounds. For a second he considers notifying his mother of his absence at school – as she somehow always managed to find out when he skipped – but ultimately opts against it. There was no realistic way he could explain why he couldn’t be at the school that day and he really just didn’t want to look at his phone anytime soon.

“So, I asked around a little,” Tony began when he realized Clay wasn’t going offer any form of explanation for his sudden desire to leave, “And you seem to have gained a lot of attention, Clay.”  
_No duh._

Once more the taller boy finds himself hesitating, Skye’s words clouding his mind. He wants to let the other in on his discovery, but is just as equally frightened to.

Tony is his best friend and he doesn’t want to do anything that could potentially change that. After all, assuming that he was romantically interested in him just because he was gay seemed rude. As far as he knew Tony did feel infatuated with him that day, he just was nice enough to keep it under wraps as not to scare Clay.

But, for one reason or another, his guts tell him that that isn’t the case.

“Yeah, I know. Great sleuth work there, Tony.”

He’s joking and the slight simper lifting the side of Tony’s lips is hint enough that the other realizes that. They’re comfortable around each other now, really fucking comfortable, actually, and he hates to think that what he’s about to say may ruin that.

“Do you have any idea what caused the interest?”

As the Mustang turns onto a dirt trail Clay is well aware of where they are heading just like he knows what Tony’s intentions are. He wants to talk, no doubt about the shitty day, and there’s no better place to do that than to visit the cliff that had swiftly become their special hang out location.

“Yeah, I think I do…” He admits, purposely dragging out the short sentence so that, by the time he uttered the last word, they were parked and Clay was climbing out of the car. If he was going to ask Tony this, it certainly was not going to be when they were stuffed so close together, “Skye actually told me something that made a lot of sense…”

“Skye, huh?” Tony repeats as he follows his friend from the car and plops down on the ledge overlooking the surrounding forest and city. The view is beautiful, he can’t help but think fleetingly as his attention wanders briefly to their surroundings before focusing back on the shorter boy, but there’s no time to dwell on the scenery. “And what exactly did she have to say?”

“She… Well, you know how she said she can see the future and how, yesterday, she told us she can do some types of magic…?”

There’s a snort and Clay can tell Tony finds the idea about as plausible as he did before half the damn school wanted to confess their love for him.

“Yeah, I remember. I told you I know all about that shit.”  
The paler boy nods at that, his head bobbing far more times than is necessary, but he’s nervous and he can’t bring himself to care about that at the moment.

“Right, well… What would you say if I told you that I’m starting to believe some of it?”  
“What do you mean?”

“It’s just… What Skye told me a little before I texted you… She said that she put some love spell or something on me last night that would make every student at Liberty fall in love with me for a day… And I really don’t believe in that crap or anything, but… But it makes an annoying amount of sense, Tony. It explains why everyone was so damn nice to me today…”  
“Okay…” The shorter boy begins and Clay knows he’s still skeptical about the nature of what he’s saying and he really can’t blame him for that, “Slow down there, Clay. So, what you’re telling me right now, is that Skye put some kind of spell on the school that made everyone fall in love with you? And you believe that?”

“Yeah, that’s the gist of it.” He sighs, eyes drifting to study the rock formation pressing into his jean clad thighs, “I mean, I don’t usually believe stuff like that but how would _you_ explain everything that happened today? How would you explain me suddenly getting so popular? Shit, even Zach asked me out!”

That last part appeared to startle Tony, as a brown brow immediately shot up and an undecipherable look crossed his tan features.

“Wait, Zach asked you out?”

“That’s definitely not the point, Tony.” He grumbles, his tone taking on an edge to it that he didn’t mean, “Fuck, I’m just going to come out and ask. Skye said that the spell would affect everyone but the castor and me, but that’s obviously not true. You aren’t head over heels for me, so I guess it didn’t affect you either and I… I’ve been trying to figure out why that is…”

His blue eyes flutter shut and he can’t work up the nerve to look Tony in the eyes as he finally expresses the comment he had wanted to inquire of the other the moment he saw him,

“And I… Tony, are you in love with me? Because Skye said that a love spell can’t affect someone who is already in love with you and I know it sounds crazy as hell and you don’t automatically just like me because you’re gay and I’m a guy, but I just need to hear your answer. If you don’t than that means that Skye’s just pulling my chain and the school is full of assholes and I really wish you would say something to shut me up...”

At the end of his ramble Clay inhales, the string of increasingly fast words escaping him leaving him breathless and sweaty and he kind of hates himself because Tony still hasn’t said a word. He’s too weak to meet his friend’s gaze and instead takes to awkwardly clearing his throat.

If there was ever a time he wished he could feel invisible it was now.

“Wow.” Is what Tony finally manages to make out, his dark gaze fixed on the blushing boy beside him. Of all the things he had expected Clay to ask him right now it certainly wasn’t that, and, if he was honest, he had absolutely no god damn idea how to respond to that heavy ass question.

Did he love Clay Jensen? Fuck, yeah, he did. If he felt like being a sappy little shit he’d say that he had liked the other for as long as he can remember, but, if he was being realistic, he’d say it was more along the lines of middle school.

So, yes, he did actually adore the awkward string bean of a kid, but he had spent years avoiding voicing that aloud. He never wanted Clay to feel uncomfortable or pressured to return the sentiments when he was, as far as Tony was concerned, completely straight.

But he knows that he’s allowed the silence to transpire for too long when the kid looks like he’s about to shit himself. There’s no point in lying, that’s obvious, and, despite the fact that it goes against everything he believes in, he’s starting to realize that Skye’s magic might not be as fake as he thought.

“I… Well, I didn’t expect that…” He settled with admitting, his thumb moving to listlessly rub patterns onto his free hand, “But yeah… Yeah, I do, Clay.”

Clay has no idea what he’s expecting to hear when Tony replies. Maybe an indignant negative, or even an offended scolding, that gay guys didn’t just like every guy they met. He does not, however, expect Tony’s confirmation to be so straight forward.

So, when his eyes suddenly dart up to meet the tanner boy’s gaze it’s in unconscious shock, his mouth parting and body tensing.

“You… You what?”

A snicker resounds at the inquiry and a small smirk pulls at the corner of full lips as Tony shakes his head in what Clay muses is a mixture of embarrassment and amusement.

“I said that you’re right. I do… I do love you, Clay, so, if it really is some kind of spell that affected everyone today, I… I can see why it missed me.”  
When Clay goes to speak again a tan hand is raised and the shorter boy takes a deep breath before pressing on. He can’t take back what he said, but he can explain himself.

“Look Clay, you don’t have to say anything. I never told you because I didn’t want to complicate things, but…” He releases a breathy chuckle, “But I can see that’s not an issue at the moment. Just know that there’s no pressure. At all. This is something that I have to deal with on my own and I don’t expect you to say anything. Our friendship is important to me and I don’t want to put it in jeopardy…”

There’s a flicker of fear in his friend’s eyes and Clay knows that Tony isn’t nearly as calm about this whole situation as he is trying to seem and he admires him for that.

No matter what, the shorter boy is always there for him; a strong presence that constantly lends a shoulder to cry on and soothing words without asking for anything in return. He’s always there for the awkward teen, so, to see him there, looking so vulnerable and hesitant, is shocking.

“I... I didn’t know…”

The possibility that his best friend had feelings for him that surpassed platonic affection had never crossed his mind before and, even now, it felt surreal to think about.

He means, Tony is… _Tony_. He’s a wonderful, wise, dependable guy that would any man lucky one day. He’s everything Clay wishes he could and knows he will never be. He deserves so much more than his emotional ass, yet, somehow, Clay was the one he wanted.

It’s bizarre and confusing and, when, the taller boy really thinks about it, Tony really does harvest all the traits that he finds particularly appealing in a significant other. The only thing is that he’s a guy, though that isn’t nearly as big of a turn off as it might have been mere years prior.

If there was anything Clay learned throughout the tape fiasco it was that no one was nearly as straight as they seemed, including himself, although he did still prefer females. Tony, he thinks, might be an exception.

“I never wanted you to.” Tony says, his tone lower this time, “You never needed to.”  
“I never needed to?” Clay reiterates in astonishment, eyes narrowing at his friend, “Shit Tony, you should have told me. It wouldn’t have changed anything, I mean, man, you’re still my best friend and I don’t know what I would do without you. I know what it’s like to not tell someone that you love them and… It hurts… It really fucking hurts…”

As Clay’s statement escalated Tony knew he wasn’t talking about him anymore and he felt his heart clench. The boy he loves is still enamored with the girl that took her own life, there is no denying that, and he knows he shouldn’t have expected any other response than that. Everything always manages to find its way back to Hannah Baker one way or another.

“I… I still love her, Tony… And I still miss her a whole fucking lot.” Tony’s mouth runs dry as Clay speaks and he’s just about to look away when a hesitant hand is placed over his and tentative blue hues meet his own dark ones, “I know she’s gone but… My feelings can’t leave that fast, you know? They didn’t just die with her…. And I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to really, actually get over her, but… I’m willing to try…”  
“Do you mean-….?”

“I mean… I’m still a fucking mess that doesn’t know anything about anything important but… I- I think I can love you… I want to try… If that’s okay? I don’t want to hurt you or make a promise I can’t keep because you deserve the fucking best, Tony. You deserve love and happiness, and I don’t want to be the reason you don’t. find it”  
Tony can only grimace at that and he begins to move his hands away. He doesn’t want this – this guilt induced confession.

“Clay, don’t. Don’t force yourself to say this shit out of guilt or anything. I’m fine with -…”  
“But I’m not, I swear. I really mean it. I really want to love you, Tony and I think I can… Just… Will you give me the chance to try?”  
The pleading look lighting blue eyes speaks volumes of truth and Tony can’t help but pull his friend – or maybe more?- into a gentle embrace, his lips pressing ever so slightly against Clay’s temple.

Trying – that was all Tony ever wanted. The chance to prove to the other boy that he was worth more than he seemed to believe. He had the opportunity to truly love Clay the way he deserved and he was going to do whatever he had to to help him get through this.

They could be actually, really happy together.

“Always.”

**Author's Note:**

> Whoo boy that is a doozy. I might end up writing a second chapter to this that shows how they explore their relationship as well as the aftermath of the crazy day, but who knows.   
> Any comments or thoughts are greatly appreciated - I saw this prompt and couldn't help myself :)


End file.
